Come Back When You Can
by lollipop-mania
Summary: He'd wanted to go hunt down the man who'd broken his best friend, what he didn't want was the hinderance of an ex-girlfriend who refused to acknowledge the reality of their situation... the co-worker thing didn't get to him. It was the mask. And the hips.
1. One

Okay! My first actual ShikaTema story. (Let's see if I can do it!) This isn't like TAGAMT because there actually is one consistent arc. I really am trying.

*****Competition: **Also, I will put a quote from a song that either inspired the story/chapter or something I was just listening to while I wrote it. If anyone can guess the song (and I hope you guys are honest enough to not scam it by googling the lyrics or something) then write me (PM or on tumblr) and whomever does this first will win a prize! Idk what yet, but write me and tell me what you want. okey dokey? Like christmas!

Okay, and don't forget to review!

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><p><strong><strong><span>Part One: Kind Hearts Don't Grab Any Glory<span>****

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><p><strong><strong>Chapter I: The Importance of Remembrance<strong>**

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><p><em>When you're getting to the end of a hard day<em>

__And you're thinking it's a long way home__

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><p>"Excuse me?" she snapped in an <em>incredibly <em>familiar way, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you not paying attention?"

He shook his head.

"I've heard every word you've said," he muttered, when in truth, he hadn't heard a damn thing since the second she opened her mouth. His attention, though certainly focused on her, was concentrated in a much different area than whatever the fuck she was talking about. Wait, what _was _she talking about?

He knew the matter must be vaguely important. He was, after all, at a mission briefing. And it wasn't just any mission; it was specifically a foreign-ANBU-and-Konoha-jonin joint mission, which said less about the importance of the mission itself and more about the diplomatic relations this mission was supposed to represent. It also meant that Shikamaru, as the leader/representative/whatever the fuck Tsuande wanted him to be for Konoha, it was his job to carry out this mission successfully, which, he knew, was a lot easier when he _actually _knew what he was doing.

But _fuck_.

The matter at hand seemed much more important than a goddamn mission he hadn't even signed up for in the first place.

So, he continued to ignore her speaking, instead focusing all his intelligence into one common goal: had he ever slept with her?

It sure as hell looked like it. Shikamaru, though seemingly so stoic against the female wiles, had a thing for hips. And he knew, he just _knew_, that he'd seen those ones before.

It wasn't like he had one night stands often. There was a phase during his later teens -last year, really- when he'd slept with more women than he cared to remember. In general, it was pretty much a self-proclaimed rule that he would take a lover for no more than a few weeks. It was simply easier. But within those, he hadn't had _many_.

And it wasn't like he _used _women. He was drawn to the ones that were virtually the same as him.

They were both enraptured with the sex for a bit, and then, when it had lost its electricity (which always happened eventually), the two parted ways.

It had worked pretty well. He had the occasional girlfriend through it, and then, more recently, he'd gone with more girlfriends and with less lovers. He actually _did _have a girlfriend right now, a pretty girl named Asiwa, but that had nothing to do with the matter at hand.

What was important, was the fact that he definitely knew this girl in front of him, and he was pretty sure that the way he knew her wasn't very amicable.

Now, thinking about it, she did seem to have a problem with him. People don't just snap at other people (people didn't just snap at the jonin commander of Konoha), even if they were Sunagakure ANBU.

But what woman had a grudge against him?

Maybe he was fooling himself...

But he wasn't. _There was something there. _The more he watched her, those long legs, wide hips, curved waist, god, those breasts. He had _definitely_ seen those breasts before. She was sporting more cleavage than seemed necessary. And that mass of choppy blonde hair pulled back into one messy ponytail with her bangs hanging precariously over her ANBU mask- he _knew _her.

But for the life of him, he couldn't place how.

"How does that sound, Sir?"

The sound passed through his ears, just touching upon his conscious before he continued eyeing her hips. Really, it was those hips.

The room had become relatively silent. Suddenly glancing up, he realized that all eyes were directed on him. Struggling to remember what she'd said, he nodded. "That sounds fine."

"Good." She said sharply. "Hideki here will show you to your rooms."

"Right," Shikamaru said, turning around with his team, which, per usual consisted of Choji and Ino, "and excuse me..."

The girl, whom was currently exiting the room they were in at the Sand's ANBU headquarters, didn't turn around. "My name is Kiyoe."

_Kiyoe_... no, it wasn't her real name. He was positive he didn't know any 'Kiyoes'.

"Kiyoe," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and giving her a look that expressed his seriousness. "I'm not 'Sir', just call me Nara, I'm used to answering to that."

She nodded, still facing the door. "Of course."

Then she exited it quickly, obviously in a hurry to get out.

Choji gave a loud exhale. "Well," he said, "that's new."

"What a bitch," Ino agreed, cocking her head. "She had no reason to snap like that."

"I meant," Choji corrected, "that she is very familiar."

"You too?" Shikamaru asked. "Maybe I didn't sleep with her..."

"You slept with her?" Ino demanded.

"That's pretty pitiful," Choji commented, "you should remember her."

"I know," Shikamaru said. And he was right, he'd had a fair share of partners for the past five years, and he'd never forgotten one. Not because everyone was important, most were actually relatively unimportant, but he was smart, and he remembered every one. So what was it about that girl? "You don't know her, Ino?"

The girl shook her head. "I know most of the ANBU that hang around the Kazekage's office, but that's only a small portion of them."

"She seems quick," Choji commented. "Kankuro said that Gaara specifically chose her for this, so she must have been hanging around there sometimes."

Ino shrugged, "maybe she's just new."

Shikamaru agreed, but he didn't say anything.

The knock on the door broke the silence. A man in ANBU attire walked in, but he wasn't wearing his mask. "Hideki?" Shikamaru guessed. The man nodded.

"Follow me."

They picked their sacks off the floor and threw them over their shoulders, following the man named Hideki out. Suna was hot this time of year, the sun making Shikamaru break out in sweat beneath his flak jacket. The streets were busy, vendors running around. It was obviously summer here and most likely the beginning of the harvest season. He hadn't been to Suna in three or four years now, but it didn't seem like much had changed.

Ino, whom had lived in Suna for two years, was more comfortable with the place, maneuvering around almost as quickly as she did in the Leaf.

Actually, Shikamaru and his team were all on the mission specifically because Ino had lived here. It'd been her mission first: bring a man convicted of serial rape and the occasional murder to Suna to stand trial.

When she had moved to Suna, it had been because Kankuro and her were getting pretty serious. On request, Tsuande had contracted Ino out to Gaara for a while. It was then when he'd assigned her her first S-rank, which had been only because no one else was suited for the job as well as she was.

It was one of those missions people like Ino could do expertly- beautiful young women with bodies that had been molded by someone with a hatred towards men and all other women. Ones that could kill quickly and heal even faster. Suna, though quite known for their feirce and beautiful kuniochi, lacked in the medicinal area of war. After Chiyo had died, none had been able to rise the position of expert warrior and medic-nin.

As a rising star, Konoha had Sakura. But Suna had nobody. And Ino, though nowhere near Sakura in a few of those categories, was an excellent to Suna.

And so, Gaara had sent her out.

And the man, Mizuno, had assaulted her. But, by what had appeared to be only by a hair, she had caught him with help of her backup.

And then, a few months later, he escaped.

He had sexually molested the Puppet-Master of Sunagakure's, the brother of the _Kazekage's,_girlfriend.

And then Suna had (though it was obviously accidentally) let him escape.

Now, almost a year later, the Sand's recon team had finally found a solid location on him. And, per Gaara's request, Ino was called back for assistance, after all, she was the only one to have such first-hand knowledge of the man and still be alive.

She had accepted, of course. And Shikamaru and Choji had been sent along, completely willing, to babysit her. Though, on the pretense that Shikamaru was actually supposed to be doing something tactical. But that wasn't important. He was here for Ino. And to kill the bastard that hurt her.

In the meantime, they had arrived in Suna a day later than scheduled, and subsequently, Gaara was out of town and Kankuro, whom appeared to be the temporary replacement, was put in charge. But, being relatively under briefed in the mission, had had to have Kiyoe, the only ANBU who seemed qualified enough and was readily available, to get them set up.

Kankuro had welcomed Shikamaru and his team with a pat on the back, and, as always seemed to be Ino's case, a full body scan (although, Kankuro did get some leeway on this, Shikamaru figured.) Before sending them off to Kiyoe. Now, Kankuro was no where in sight and this Hideki fellow was leading three reasonable knowledgeable people through a city they all pretty much knew.

But Shikamaru didn't mind. He hadn't been to Suna often, a few times over the years. More often when he was fifteen and was the ambassador (he thought that one kid from the academy may have taken over the position now, but he wasn't sure), in which case he had stayed at the embassy every two months. But after that, when he'd stopped by for missions or vacation, he'd stayed a variety of places: hotels, Kankuro and Ino's, even Gaara's once.

But he had never stayed on this side of town- the nice side of town.

Kankuro was going out of his way. Or maybe it was Gaara. He didn't really know.

But he knew this side of town. And he knew that whatever bed they had in this room would be absolutely decadent. And he really didn't mind that. Although, he wouldn't hide the fact that as Hideki led them past the embassy, he looked at the round building a little longingly. He'd enjoyed it there.

But this bed- he was _really _excited for this bed.

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><p>The leader of this mission was a big burly man named Rentaro. Shikamaru knew the word to describe him perfectly (macho), but he didn't feel like acknowledging that.<p>

That man was though. He was big, well over Shikamaru's six feet. And he was strong, a big body with bulky muscles. He was tan too, dark skin and even darker hair. Much like Kiyoe -who stood beside him- he wore his general ANBU uniform with a personal touch: he went shirtless beneath his gray vest, displaying a good amount of tightly curled, black chest hair.

Ino -whom had known him from her time in Suna- said he was handsome, though in an intimidating sort of way, and had warned Shikamaru to not get on his bad side. Apparently, Rentaro hated all types of sluggishness, which would probably be a problem.

Working with people like Kakashi and Asuma was (or, in Asuma's case, had been) perfect- they were quick in a battle but otherwise relatively lazy people. This Rentaro bloke just sounded troublesome.

But Shikamaru didn't really care. As of now, his biggest issue with Rentaro was putting in the effort of having to look up at him. It was so much easier speaking to people like Ino, who were so short, he could practically hang his head.

He was clever though, this Rentaro man, but Shikamaru was fairly certain that Kiyoe was a bit sharper. He had a feeling that women were more often underestimated in Suna, which he had been told on more than one occasion, but he never figured that that misogynist nature made its way into ANBU as well.

Kiyoe didn't seem to have problem with it though.

"Our last confirmed sighting of Mizuno was at a compound only two weeks away from here," Rentaro was saying, sitting on a chair at the head of an ovular table. In front of him were three large sheets of paper. One displayed what appeared to be a map of the trail they would take, the other a blueprint of the compound he was referencing, and the third a list of names, none of which Shikamaru knew.

"Since his escape, he has assembled a large amount of bodyguards. Here is the list we have of known associates and people confirmed to be traveling alongside him this past month. Of course, there are more and some of these names are probably old by now, but this is the best we have," Rentaro explained to the group of twenty in the room, three jonins and seventeen ANBU.

"Nara," he said, motioning to Shikamaru, "is in charge of planning our attack." He rolled up the drawing of the supposed compound and handed the scroll to Shikamaru. "Here, you have two weeks," he said. Shikamaru just nodded and slipped the wrapped parchment into his pack.

"We will infiltrate the compound and find him. We have the order to kill as many as necessary, but the Kazekage wants Mizuno alive."

Rentaro glanced around at the people around the table. A handful of them, including that damn Kiyoe, were still wearing their masks, but the majority had opted to go without them. They all nodded at Rentaro, and he began rolling up the two remaining scrolls.

"We head out in an hour." He said, and they all stood up and exited the building.

"You think it'll work?" Choji was asking.

Ino shrugged, "he is smarter than Rentaro seems to give him credit for, but I don't know if that's much of an issue..." She thought about it for a moment, eyes lost in a memory neither Shikamaru nor Choji could even attempt to understand. Then, with a smile, she picked up her pace. "Either way, I'm glad you two are here," she said with a laugh, throwing her arms over both her boys. But Shikamaru was in another world, staring at the woman walking in front of him. They were following her and most of their new colleagues through town to the restaurant district for lunch.

And again, like yesterday, and until she'd moved out of his line of sight this morning, his eyes were drawn to those hips.

And she knew it.

She was walking the way a woman walks when she knows someone is watching her: self-conscious and proud at the same time. The walk was pretty distinct in women, although he'd never known what it meant until he was an adult. But he'd seen that walk for years, on Ino sometimes when he'd see other boys leer at her, but more often when he himself was leering at Te-

Oh. _Shit_.

(He _did _know those hips.)

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><p>Review! I'm not sure how often I'll get the chance to update (I see it being around 15 chapters), so I might be lazy and set a personal review limit: like, 10 reviews! Update! So do review because it really can only help.<br>P.S. Thanks Cara for reviewing everything I have written and for her purely mean/comical/loving reviews. Thanks to anyone who read and especially those who review because you guys are really my favorite. And my beta is awesome people. (oh, and check out my tumblr for any updates and questions, because I will seriously answer them all! Okay, well not huge spoilers, but I do excerpts and all that.) Oh, and chapters will usually be longer than this, btw.

**Reviews are what make the sun shine!**

**Loves and kisses, LM. **


	2. Two

****It's late; apologies. Enjoy. Review.

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><p><strong>Part I: Kind Hearts Don't Grab Any Glory<strong>  
><strong>Chapter II: The Desert Sands<strong>

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><p><em>You gotta be honest<br>__You gotta be guarded  
><em>_You sure aren't gonna say:  
><em>_Right on the inside, that is the hardest, the hardest game to play_

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><p>Shikamaru took a sip of his water; eyes passing over his friends as Choji offered some of his own sparse drink to Ino before taking it back. She had her own water, but neither of them seemed to find this relevant.<p>

He didn't like this:

Ino, here.

She was supposed to be back home, working in the hospital or the shop- doing _something _that would make her the least bit happy again, and he had a feeling crossing a desert wasn't going to cut it.

Shikamaru understood why she wanted to come, in any sense. He understood revenge better than most—he understood the need to make someone feel as much pain as you felt. But he also knew the risks. And he knew Ino's capabilities.

Even when he had taken his vengeance, he had the help of the Copy Ninja Kakashi. Mind, Takeo Mizuno is no Hidan of the Akatsuki—but regardless, the balance of Ino's emotions and her skill (or lack thereof, in this case) made her far too easy a target. And although Shikamaru was good—so was Temari—he knew they were relatively incomparable to having the assistance of Kakashi Hatake. And it wasn't like the other sixteen ANBU were going to be of much help in the actual capture of Mizuno—much unlike Hidan, whom traveled with only one other person—Mizuno was at a compound surrounded by rogue ninjas and other varying degrees of skilled bodyguards. That, as Shikamaru had already planned, was going to be dealt with by the remaining members of their troop.

Which left his team and Temari–he felt the need to include her—to do the actual capturing.

Choji knew this. So did Ino. And they also knew, as did Shikamaru, that Ino was in no position to be doing anything in anyway related to Mizuno, much less involved in his capture; not after what had happened last year.

Ino had seen some shit, and she had always managed after a few weeks. But since returning to Konoha, even with the breakup between her and Kankuro in mind, something about her had been different. She hadn't made peace with what Mizuno did to her –whatever it was (the report Gaara sent to the Hokage was brief on details and Ino wasn't one to talk about it)— and until she did, she was putting any ounce of recovery she'd made at risk during this mission.

And more than that, she was putting the whole mission itself at risk.

"Breaks over," Rentaro called out, pulling Shikamaru from his thoughts. He slipped his canteen back into his pack and continued on, moving on with his musings.

After all, he had time to speak to Ino in the next few days. Now was not the time to dwell on the matter; he had more important tasks to conduct.

Mainly, the whole situation three yards in front of him.

As it had been before, the sun was berating. But, when out in the middle of the desert, the degree of palpable heat had increased tenfold versus while inside the walls of Suna. There, it had been much cooler: shadows were cast along the streets and a light breeze had fluttered around. Here, it was just hot. There was neither wind nor shadows. The sand was burning beneath his feet and each step was labored as his foot sank a few inches into the grains of the dunes.

"Many a good man," Rentaro had said when they headed out nearly two hours before, "have lost their lives in a desert like this. Pace your energy."

Right now, Rentaro headed the group as he led them through what must have been somewhat familiar ground. He was, after all, walking through what appeared to be a sand-laden oblivion—Shikamaru hoped he had _some _sense of where he was going. Only wearing his vest, Shikamaru could see the sheen of sweat on Rentaro's neck and upper back, but walking with his shoulders rolled back and head held high, Rentaro appeared the ever-capable leader.

Keeping step with him was Temari, not shedding an ounce of clothing, but her black pants were clinging to her bottom and thighs more than they had yesterday, and though he couldn't see it from so far away, he was positive beads of sweat were slipping from her hairline down her tan neck and into her black collar.

After that there were the rest of the ANBU, Ino walking with one she had mentioned was an old friend. Out of everyone, Ino seemed the coolest. But, she was also wearing the least clothing, so he was pretty sure that concluded it.

Shikamaru didn't need much help crossing a desert; he had worked for the Sand often enough. But there was a difference in a few mile hike through relatively flat dirt to a forty-mile hike through searing sand dunes. Ino even seemed to mind, and she had lived here for over two years. On that note, the heat also seemed to be affecting the majority of the rest of this merry band of rapist-hunters, and _they _were Sunagakure ANBU.

In fact, the heat was stifling enough to distract Shikamaru from the current task at hand, which had varied somewhat since this morning. No longer was it to watch the mystery girl's hips –although he was still doing this— but to figure out how exactly that body _belonged _to Temari. He was positive it was her... just not sure how it was possible.

Sure, he could understand that she was with ANBU now. He wasn't surprised.

But that wasn't what was troubling him. It was more of the fact that after four years of not seeing one another, she shows up as a full-fledged ANBU member –and a high ranking one at that— ready to become his colleague once again, and not once during this time had she ever revealed her identity to him.

He'd realized, a few minutes before, that she was surely going to keep that mask on for the whole mission. If she had plans about taking it off, she would have done it by now. Especially because keeping the mask on in weather like this was a hazard to her health. Ino, as both a teammate and the medic-nin, had advised the remaining people wearing masks to take them off in this heat. All but Temari had obliged.

She was obviously not taking it off for a reason.

But why?

Well, he knew the reason, that was obvious enough—she wanted to keep her pseudonym.

But _why? _Why didn't she want him to see her?

It wasn't like there was any bad blood between them. They'd dated for a few months, sure. But it was child's play. No one had been heartbroken about it. And every time he saw her after that, she'd said a simple 'hello' usually combined with a nod or a wave as they passed one another in the streets of Suna, but there was never anything malicious about her.

So why wasn't she speaking to him? If anything, she was trying to avoid him. Was it to shame him for not recognizing her it the first place? Or maybe to save him the embarrassment of admitting that he hadn't realized it was her?

Or maybe it was something else?

But surely he couldn't have been expected to recognize her, after all Ino and Choji hadn't.

Her definitive hairstyle had changed since childhood, which set it off a bit. And she was significantly taller. She had gained some weight, filling out her body a bit more. And he couldn't see her face. But apart from that, the longer he watched her, the more obvious it became.

He _was _pretty ashamed to admit that he hadn't recognized her in the first place.

He should have.

And her movements now seemed so distinctly Temari, he was surprised it hadn't struck him the instant he'd seen her.

But she had to understand, he might be clever, but she was asking too much if she expected to be instantly recognized. (Wasn't that kind of the point of the masks anyway?)

Shikamaru sighed, blinking at the back of her head. Regardless of her initial reasoning, it was clear that right now she didn't want him to know her true identity. She was, after all, ignoring him to the point where it was almost blatantly obvious.

His dark eyes fell from her hair to her rear, head angling as he took in her backside once more. If she wanted to point out that he was inappropriately ogling her, she would have to speak with him, and knowing Temari as well as he thought he did, if she was taking such sacrifices to keep her alias intact even in this heat, then a little light gazing wouldn't be enough to make her confront him. And really, what was the harm in a little innocent speculating—it wasn't _his _fault his eyes fell to sinful places on her body. It was her fault (or really, her genes) for molding a form with such a nice ass.

And so, as he considered the day, the mission ahead, Ino's stability, and Temari's body, the hours dragged on, slowly but surely.

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><p>"We continue on tonight," Rentaro said, facing the group. "That way we can hike while it is cool out. If you all keep steady, you'll make it to the woods before dawn and camp there for a few hours." He pointed to three men in the group, including Choji, "you three come with me. We'll go ahead and do some scouting."<p>

Choji glanced at Shikamaru, "later?"

The latter nodded. No matter who they were working with, or rather, who was in charge, his team always answered to him, even if they didn't have to. "We'll catch up."

And within another minute, Choji, Rentaro, and two of the pretty non-descript members of their group ran off, leaving Temari in charge.

"Right," she said, turning to address the remainder of shinobi, "it should take another four or five hours to get to the woods, but the terrain will begin to change sooner than that, which will make it easier." She turned her head to eye the horizon, "we'll take a break now, but once the sun is set, we move."

There were a few muttered complaints, but everyone was grateful for the period of rest. The sky was already streaked with orange and pink, placing dusk within the next half hour. It wasn't a long break, but it was much needed.

"Hey!" Ino said, coming over to sit beside Shikamaru, "Choji was carrying our food."

"Why didn't you bring your own?" He replied, flipping the pack off his shoulders and opening it up. "You shou- oh." He vaguely remembered saying something about having Ino carry the medicine, him carry the scrolls and tags, and Choji carry the food. It had seemed like a fine idea five hours ago when his good amount of food and medical supply was adding too much weight to his back.

"Yeah." Ino snapped, putting a hand to her stomach.

"You don't have anything? Not even a protein bar?"

"Just water."

"Can I have some?"

She shrugged, handing it over and moving to lay down, bag acting as a pillow to keep the sand out of her hair –or at least, keep as much sand out of her hair as she could. He was pretty sure all of them had sand creeping into every crevice of their bodies.

It was annoying, but this part he was used to. It had been the same whenever he had to cross that bit of desert to get to and from Suna.

He sipped her water before capping it and lying out beside her. "How are you?"

"Good." She glanced over at him, clearly not. But it wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. In the few moments he'd spared today for thoughts of Ino, he had noticed her range of emotions changing over the past few hours, going between depression to anxiety to excitement and everything in between.

But, like he'd been telling himself for months now, he could put off this conversation a bit longer. Nothing was imperative at the moment, especially right now, as they lay in the sand in the middle of nowhere stuck between a seemingly endless sky and a dangerously unstable earth.

A few more days pre-confrontation couldn't hurt.

"So," Ino ventured when he remained quiet, "how are you doing?"

"Fine."

"Really?" She nudged him with her elbow, "you seem off. Something 's been bugging you all day."

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure? It wouldn't have something to do with Asiwa?"

"What?"

Ino sighed, "please, Shikamaru. You've been staring at Kiyoe's ass all day. Scared you can't keep it in your pants?"

"I'm not- _Ino_!" His eyes turned to see Temari staring at them, whether she had been the whole time or just since her name was mentioned, he was unsure, but either way, when he glanced at her, her had snapped in the other direction. "I'm not checking Kiyoe out."

"Right."

Well in all fairness, he had been. "Trust me," he replied to her sarcastic look, "I'm not worried I'll cheat on Asiwa."

"Isn't that what you do these days? Cheat on unsuspecting civilians?"

"Asiwa is a Chunin, and we've been dating for three months. _No, _I'm not cheating on her. I don't cheat on anyone. Where are getting this from?"

"No one!" Ino said, holding her hands up innocently.

"Are you gossiping about me at the hospital again?"

"Everyone else is in a relationship!" She gided, elbowing him again for good measure. "It used to be Kakashi, but now he has a girlfriend. Plus, Sakura's become all weird about him lately... she thinks we shouldn't talk about him because he's 'taken'."

"I'm taken."

"Yeah," she drawled, sitting back up, "but no one cares about her."

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

Shikamaru smiled up as Ino peered over him. "As long as the gossip among the nurses is positive, then who am I to get mad?"

"At least someone understands," she muttered, holding out her hand to help him up. The sun was beginning to fall on the horizon; they would be leaving soon. "But they're not always good things."

He shrugged, not really caring either way. There weren't that many people that could speak from experience. Certainly few with direct contact to Ino.

Shikamaru sighed, brushing off his back as Ino motioned for someone to come join them. From the other edge of their group, a woman stood up and began making her way over. She had donned her mask again, and Shikamaru found himself unable to place mask or body with the memory of a face. He hadn't really been paying enough attention to the rest of this team.

But even as the idea to memorize everyone came to mind, his eyes had already caught the lone figure of Temari standing by herself, gazing out onto the horizon where her captain had disappeared not long before.

He was a doomed man without the will to even try.

Shikamaru let out a groan, standing up. "I'll catch you later, Ino."

"Bye."

He approached the masked woman as easily as he would have years ago, long before she had the slightest disdain in her true identity. Long before he had been so positively puzzled with her presence.

"Nara," she said without turning, voice lower than he remembered. It was perplexing to speak to someone without seeing his/her face. When talking with ANBU, he had never thought much about it. He never really realized how it changed someone.

As he thought about it more, he realized the de-humanization of it, which was probably why they wore masks in the first place. There was no expression, no feeling displayed behind the thick ceramic.

He could remember seeing Sai a few years before he had left ANBU, and Yamato—Tenzou, whatever—whom still belonged, wearing their respective masks. He had never noticed the difference. But he could now. He could recall how Root-Sai was different from the Team Kakashi-Sai and the same with Yamato. With the mask on, you were just one of group. A faceless body meant for battle. He had killed foreign ANBU on more than one occasion, and had never felt as much as he should have.

The mask took away all individuality.

And he was sure, had he been able to see Temari's face, he would've been able to speak to her more easily.

But instead, she had only a blank face of what appeared to be some ugly sort of bird; he couldn't really tell.

He wondered if the muscles in her jaw were twitching like they used to, or if her eyes were soft as she stared out at the horizon. Maybe neither, and she was just standing beside him with a bored expression as though this were the dullest place to be.

Judging by the stiffness in her limbs and tightening of her hands—which was all he really had to go on—she would rather be anywhere else than standing right beside him at that moment. "Kiyoe," he greeted in a tone that he hoped implied that he was onto her game.

If it did, she didn't seem to have any reaction.

"Can I help you?"

"No," he shoved his hands in his pockets, a wind beginning to pick up along the dunes. He remembered how cold it could get in the desert at night regardless of the blistering heat during daylight. "Not with anything particular, in any case. I just came over to say hello."

"You've said your piece then."

Her words were obviously final, but he wasn't going anywhere. "So..." Shikamaru ventured, "how has it been going? You know, since I saw you last."

Her head turned to him sharply, "you mean since this morning?" She hadn't taken the bait.

"Sure."

"I have been doing well. Captain Rentaro is fine company for an extended walk in the desert." The remark was sarcastic, but the tone serious. "Though I would like to get to camp soon."

"That's a very customary answer."

"Were you expecting something extra ordinary?"

"I was expecting something a little more honest."

"Then you chose the wrong job," she said simply. But she must have felt his sharp exhale, because the next thing he knew, she was facing him and gazing up, close enough for him to see her eyes beneath the mask. "But I wouldn't lie to you... Sir." The words were appropriate—she would be expected to say them to any ally when working on a mission like this. But for some reason, they seemed to hold a different standing than they might have meant had they been said to anyone else, by anyone else.

Shikamaru's heart sped up, and he didn't bother correcting her this time, "you wouldn't?"

"No."

And as though she only now realized their close proximity, or the fact that her front was only an inch away from his, she stepped back, rocking on her heels and putting over a foot between them.

They lulled into silence, Shikamaru pulling his eyes from her painted mask to look over the horizon she had previously been staring at. He would kill to know what she was thinking, or what she had meant by that. It was hard to imagine her face, which was extremely unsettling knowing it was right beside him and he couldn't even see it.

And what did she think this whole conversation was?

How did it seem from her point of view?

Did she think he thought of her as just some acting-captain that happened to get in his face a little too easily?

It was obvious she wasn't too keen on him these days, especially at the moment. And he was pretty sure whatever had taken place had been something seen very differently in her eyes than his (and _he_didn't even seeit clearly). If anything, she would only be more distant from now on. Which wasn't too hard- while the mission was scheduled for about a month, there were twenty people to distract oneself with. And he had a sinking feeling that Temari was planning on doing just that.

He didn't understand. She was _Temari_. His friend. Why wouldn't she just talk to him?

"You know," he muttered after a moment, "I knew a girl from the Sand once."

"Oh?" He could see her shoulders tense. Some ANBU were no good at this emotionless shit.

"She was a very good friend of mine—saved my life a handful of times."

There was a pause when he didn't continue, and so, after a second she surprised him with a prompt. "Yeah?"

"She could destroy entire villages with one move and yell at the most intimidating of men without blinking any eye... You wouldn't happen to know her by chance? I think she gained the title of Wind Master of Sunagakure a few years ago, but she's probably more aptly known as Sabaku no Temari. You know, the Kazekage's sister?"

He looked back down at Temari, waiting for any sort of reaction- there was none. And then right before he thought she wasn't going to respond, she met his gaze. "Of course I have heard of her. But we do not share the same acquaintances, Nara. I serve my Kage, not his family."

"Of course."

And before he could say anything else, she moved around him to address the remaining members of the group. In the past few minutes, Shikamaru had failed to notice the sky grow dark. The sun was set and it was time to move on.

* * *

><p>An: shorter than i thought. thanks to aps for the motivation! review!

TBC


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